Deficiency of PORCN, a regulator of Wnt signaling, is associated with focal dermal hypoplasia

Focal dermal hypoplasia (FDH) is an X-linked dominant multisystem birth defect affecting tissues of ectodermal and mesodermal origin. Using a stepwise approach of (i) genetic mapping of FDH, (ii) high-resolution comparative genome hybridization to seek deletions in candidate chromosome areas and (iii) point mutation analysis in candidate genes, we identified PORCN, encoding a putative O-acyltransferase and potentially crucial for cellular export of Wnt signaling proteins, as the gene mutated in FDH. The findings implicate FDH as a developmental disorder caused by a deficiency in PORCN.